Posted on Jul 30, 2011A San Antonio, Texas, man has been indicted on charges of Social Security disability fraud, according to local news sources, after collecting well over one hundred thousand dollars for a disability while also working.

The Express-News reports that 52-year-old Ernest Luckett was running a plumbing company in San Antonio while also collecting SSDI benefits. In 2005, his Social Security disability application was approved by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for both a back injury he suffered at work and for a mood disorder. Over the next six years, the Texas man wrongfully collected $171,000 in disability benefits while also running First Priority Plumbing. Legally, Luckett should have notified the SSA that he was returning to work and halted his disability payments.

Luckett has broken the law several times before. He spent a decade in prison on drug-related charges and has also been convicted of assault and larceny.

The Social Security fraud case was originally brought to the attention of the SSA after someone called in with a tip.

Social Security fraud is not only illegal – it is extremely damaging to taxpayers as well as those who truly suffer from disabilities that prevent them from working. The consequences of Social Security disability fraud are serious and could involve hefty fines and prison time.